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Saturday, April 8, 2017

Syria Strike Opens Doors for U.S. Strategy

Jennifer
Cafarella and Genevieve Casagrande with the ISW & CTP Research Teams

The
Institute for the Study of War (ISW)
produced this product with the American Enterprise Institute’s Critical Threats
Project (CTP).
The ISW-CTP team recently released “America’s Way Ahead in Syria,” which details the flaws in the current U.S. approach in Iraq
and Syria and proposes the first phase of a strategic reset in the Middle East.

The U.S strike against an Assad regime
base in northern Syria on April 6, 2017 opened the door to a reorientation of
American strategy in the Middle East. President Trump’s action could reset the
terms of America’s confrontation of other hostile states, such as North Korea. President
Trump may be shifting away from a narrow focus on the Islamic State of Iraq and
al Sham (ISIS) as the strategic priority in Syria and toward a new approach. It
remains unclear whether he will take additional action against the Assad regime,
but his statement after the strike appeared to signal an emerging anti-Assad
policy. Responses from major international powers and key regional actors
indicate that these parties perceive the strike represents a possible strategic
inflection rather than an isolated incident. President Trump has the
opportunity to exploit the effects of his limited action to pursue America’s strategic
goals.

Regional actors responded as if a
wider American reorientation against Assad is possible. Traditional U.S.
partners in the region like Saudi Arabia and Jordan supported the strike.
Turkey also praised the strike and called for additional U.S. action against
the Assad regime. These reactions indicate that the strike created an
opportunity for President Trump to repair America’s relationships with
traditional partners, which had begun to reorient toward Russia or to act
unilaterally in dangerous ways in the absence of American leadership. European
states under Russian pressure also supported the strike, indicating that the
U.S. can still shape European policies toward Syria. President Trump may have
an opportunity to leverage European support for counter-Assad measures to
reengage Europe on the need to confront Russia in Syria. Actors deeper within
the Russo-Iranian orbit, including Egypt and Iraq’s Shi’a political parties, expressed
caution.

The pro-regime axis—Assad, Iran, and
Russia—reacted in different but complementary ways. The Assad regime and Iran
initially responded with caution. Their reactions indicate shared intent to
avoid additional U.S. responses. The Assad regime downplayed the impact of the
strike and resumed normal operations. Iran portrayed the U.S. as a regional
aggressor but did not take military action. Iran’s initial reaction reflected a
desire not to provoke the U.S. to escalate against Assad. Iran’s proxies also
displayed discipline and did not escalate above previous levels of
anti-American rhetoric. Iran’s response indicates that Iran seeks to avoid
drawing the U.S. further into the region. The lack of immediate escalation by
Iran or its proxies does not indicate that Iran will fail to respond if the
U.S. takes additional action against Assad. Iran will undertake a sophisticated
and possibly offensive strategy against U.S. interests and personnel in theater
if it perceives further U.S. action against Assad is likely. Iran will also attempt
to develop a joint response with Russia.

Russia’s initial response was
reactionary. Russia focused first on repairing Vladimir Putin’s strongman image
and the perception of the strength of Russian aerial defensive capabilities by
condemning the strike and undertaking a show of force. Russia deployed a
missile frigate to the Mediterranean Sea, conducted massive domestic military
exercises, halted use of the aerial deconfliction mechanism with the U.S. in
Syria, and stated it would bolster the Assad regime’s air defenses to deter
further U.S. action. Russia later stated that it will speed up development of
the S-500 system for domestic air defense. Russia shifted its narrative
approach after 24 hours to cast President Trump as reckless. Russian rhetoric
and propaganda portrayed the U.S. as an irresponsible aggressor in an effort to
deny popular support for further U.S. intervention in Syria.

Pro-Regime Axis

Assad regime

07 APR: Syrian
Information Minister Mohammad Tourjman stated that the strike had been
“expected” and “limited in time and scope” while downplaying the possibility of
“any military escalation” by Syria and Russia. Tourjman alleged that the
strikes aimed to “support terrorist organizations” after their “heavy losses”
at the hands of pro-regime forces. Tourjman claimed that the affected airbase
was a “specialized base in the fight against terrorism.” (Reuters, Hurriyet,SANA)

07 APR: The Syrian
Presidency Office condemned the strikes as an “unjust and arrogant aggression”
against a “sovereign state” and accused the U.S. of “attempting to dominate the
world” through “reckless and irresponsible acts.” The statement vowed to
“increase the pace of operations” against “terrorist agents” in Syria. (SANA)

07 APR: The Syrian Arab
Army General Command accused the U.S. of
conducting a “blatant act of aggression” that undermines operations against
terrorism. The statement accused the U.S. of acting as a “partner” to ISIS and
al Qaeda in Syria and “sending wrong messages” that will “embolden
[terrorists]...to use chemical weapons in the future.” The statement noted that
the military will respond by “continuing its national duty” to “beat terrorism”
and “restore security and stability to the entire territory” of Syria. (SANA,YouTube)

07 APR: Syrian Deputy
Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad stated that the strikes represented “aggression
as defined by international law” that aimed to undermine the Syrian Arab Army.
Mekdad noted that the strikes came after the “failure of the recent aggression”
by Israel on Syria, stressing that the “two aggressions cannot be separated
from each other.” Mekdad condemned the “fallen and unreliable opposition” for
“fabricating allegations” against the regime rather than participating in the
Geneva and Astana Talks. Mekdad stated that the U.S. remains committed to
“supporting the terrorists” in order to weaken Syria against Israel and warned
that countries backing the opposition will “all pay a heavy price” from the
“terrorist attacks [that] will target them next.” (SANA)

07 APR: Syrian
Presidential Media Advisor Bouthaina Shaaban claimed that the strikes came
under “false pretenses” to “rescue terrorists” and “undermine powers which
fight terrorism” after gains by pro-regime forces. Shaaban accused the U.S. of
conducting an “aggressive act without enough evidence” and noted that Israel is
a “major beneficiary” of the conflict. Shaaban stated that Syria will support
Russia at the UN Security Council to “condemn the U.S. aggression on a
sovereign state.” (SANA)

08 APR: Syrian Prime Minister Imad
Khamis stated that the strikes represented “blatant support to terrorism” and
emphasized that the incident will “increase [our] determination to confront the
terrorist war.” (SANA)

Russia

07
APR: Russia called for an emergency meeting of the
United Nations Security Council in response to the U.S. strike. Russian deputy
U.N. envoy Vladimir Safronkov stated that the U.S. strike on Shayrat was
“illegitimate” and warned that it could have “extremely serious” consequences.
(Reuters, Kremlin, UNSC)

07 APR: Foreign Ministry announced the suspension of the air
deconfliction mechanism with the U.S. in Syria. (The
Hill, Zaman
al Wasl, AP, AFP)

07
APR: The Kremlin condemned the strike as
“aggression against a sovereign state” that violated international norms under
“far-fetched pretexts” of a chemical weapons attack. The statement warned that
the strike “inflicted considerable damage” to bilateral relations between the
U.S. and Russia. (AP, Reuters, Reuters, AFP)

07
APR: Russian Federation Council Foreign Affairs
Committee Chairperson Konstantin Kosachev stated that the strikes “put to rest
without even being born” any possible counter-terrorism cooperation between
the U.S. and Russia. (AP, Reuters, Reuters, AFP)

07
APR: Russian military holds a combined arms drill
for the Eastern Military District that includes the participation of four
combat aviation groups from the Southern military district. (RG.RU)

07
APR: The Russian Ministry of Defense announced the
redeployment of the Admiral Grigorovich from the Black Sea to Tartous, Syria. (Newsweek)

07
APR: Russia opens a branch of its International
Mine Action Center in Homs Province. (Sputnik)

08 APR: Commander of the Russian Aerospace Force Col. Viktor
Bondarev announced that the Russian S-500 air defense system will be put in
service “in the near future.” (Sputnik)

07-08 APR: Russian officials alleged that the U.S. strike
against the Assad regime benefitted ISIS, leaving pro-regime forces without air
support during ISIS ground operations in the area. (RT, Tsargrad.tv, UNSC)

08 APR: The Russian Foreign Ministry alleged that the U.S. is
using direct military action against Assad in order to “divert attention” from
recent civilian casualties from U.S.-led coalition airstrikes in Mosul, Iraq. (Sputnik)

08 APR: A pro-regime
airstrike targeted the town of Khan Shaykhoun in southern Idlib, the site of
the chemical weapons attack, killing one woman. (SOHR, Chicago Tribune)

Iran

07 APR: Head
of Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Alaeddin
Boroujerdi called the U.S. airstrikes on Syria a “conspiracy” because “everyone
in the world knows that the Syrian government… has handed over all its chemical
weapons.” Boroujerdi said that the airstrikes demonstrate the “defeat” of U.S.
policies in the Middle East. Boroujerdi stressed that the airstrikes’
“consequences will not be good for America.” Boroujerdi said that Trump’s
decision to launch the airstrikes is contrary to his promises during his
campaign and thus “shows Trump’s decline.” Boroujerdi stated that Iran’s
response to the airstrikes will occur “according to [Iran’s] cooperation with
Russia, Iraq, and Syria.” Boroujerdi stated, “Undoubtedly, America’s
ill-advised action will be followed by serious consequences, because Russia and
Iran will not sit quietly in the face of acts which are contrary to the
region’s interests.” Boroujerdi also noted that a country usually chooses to
use chemical weapons when its armies are failing in war, and stated that “the
Syrian army is in its best position right now. Aleppo has been liberated and
other areas are also being liberated. (IRNA, Shafaqna, Asr Iran)

07 APR: Foreign
Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif stated that just as the U.S. resorted “to
military force” in its invasion of Iraq in 2003 “over bogus [chemical weapons]
allegations,” so it is resorting to military force “over bogus [chemical
weapons] allegations” in its airstrikes in Syria. Zarif claimed that “Not even
two decades” after the September 11 attacks, the U.S. military is “fighting on
the same side” as al Qaeda and ISIS in Yemen and Syria. (ISNA, IRNA)

07 APR: Foreign
Ministry Spokesman Bahram Ghassemi stated that “Iran condemns any use of
chemical weapons, regardless of the perpetrators and the victims.” Ghassemi
indicated that the U.S. used the “suspicious chemical attack” as an “excuse” to launch the airstrikes. Ghassemi
stressed that America’s “use of a chemical attack in Syria” as “pretext for
unilateral action is dangerous, destructive,” and in “violation of peremptory
principles of international laws.” Ghassemi stated America’s actions will
“reinforce declining terrorists and add to the complexity of the situation in
Syria.” (CNN, Fars News Agency, Fars News Agency)

07 APR: Hossein
Amir Abdollahian, the international affairs advisor to Parliament Speaker Ali
Larijani, stated that the U.S. airstrikes prove “that the fight” against ISIS
is “still” not America’s “priority.” Larijani called the airstrikes “hasty,”
contrary to international law, and “to the detriment of regional and global
security.” He stressed that the U.S. is ignoring international endeavors to
resolve the Syrian crisis politically. (Tasnim News Agency)

07 APR: Interim
Tehran Friday Prayer Leader Ayatollah Mohammad Emami Kashani stated that the
U.S. launched the airstrikes in order to conceal its “support for the
terrorists.” Emami Kashani reiterated the regime’s statement that the U.S.
helped create terrorist groups in the region. He also stated that the
allegation that the Assad regime was responsible for the chemical weapons
attack is a “lie.” (Fars News Agency, IRNA)

Iranian Axis Parties

07 APR: The al
Houthi movement in Yemen backed Syria’s Assad regime. Al Houthi-Saleh Prime
Minister Abdul Aziz bin Habtour condemned the U.S. cruise missiles strikes in
Syria as a “blatant violation of a sister Arab state's autonomy” and a
violation of international law. Bin Habtour expressed support for the Iranian
and Russian governments for their condemnation of the attacks. Bin Habtour also
stated that he is not surprised by Arab states expressing their support for
their attack, as they are also “official sponsors of the Sunni extremist
terrorist groups that kill the Syrian people.” The Political Council of Ansar Allah
(al Houthi political union) issued a formal statement mirroring bin Habtour's
and added that it supports “any steps to respond to the American aggression”
taken by Syria. (Saba)

07 APR: Iranian
proxy militia Harakat al Nujaba spokesperson Hashim al Mousawi stated that the
U.S. airstrike “does not change the rules of engagement and our position does
not change (regarding) the direction of the war in Syria.” Nujaba blamed the
chemical weapons attack on the U.S. as an attempt to save “terrorist gangs.” He
added that the airstrike was in response to the shooting down of an Israeli
aircraft targeting Syrian air defenses. (Facebook)

07 APR: A
statement by the political bureau of the Badr Organization reported that the
U.S. strike against the Syrian Government was based off on “flimsy” pretenses.
The statement continued, condemning the “brutal attack” calling it “a serious
turning point in the Syrian crisis” and stressing the concern of international
and Arab communities that the attacks will “constitute an opportunity to
strengthen terrorist groups in the area.” The Badr Organization reiterated that
the “Syrian people alone have the right to self-determination and to choose
their system of government with full freedom and sovereignty” and called on the
international community to use diplomacy to resolve the Syrian crisis and
assist only in counter-terrorism matters. (al Ghadeer)

07 APR: Media
Spokesman for the Badr Organization Jaafar al Quraishi stated that Syria is
fighting terrorism and that the U.S. strike on a Syrian airbase was the “wrong
target” and the U.S. did not “act correctly with targeting Syrian and Russian
forces at the Shayrat airbase.” (RUDAW)

Regional Actors Balancing U.S and Russo-Iranian Coalitions

Turkey

07 APR: Turkish
President Erdogan stated Turkey’s support of U.S. missile strikes as a
“positive concrete step” but “not enough” against the Assad regime’s war
crimes. Recent developments have once again proved how accurate Turkey's
efforts to create safe-haven protected areas in Syria are. (TCCB)

07 APR: Turkey's
Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed full support of U.S. steps to hold the
Syrian regime accountable and also stated Turkey would continue to advance
a political solution process in Syria. (MFA)

08 APR: Turkey’s
Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Ankara sees the U.S. intervention in
Syria as appropriate but not enough. Cavusoglu stated “If this intervention is
limited only to an air base, if it does not continue and if we don’t remove the
regime from heading Syria, then this would remain a cosmetic intervention.” (Washington Post)

Egypt

07 APR: The
Egyptian Foreign Ministry released a statement calling Russia and the U.S. to
contain the Syrian conflict and achieve a comprehensive and final solution to
the Syrian crisis, and to act on the basis of international legitimacy
decisions. The statement also called for sparing Syria and the Middle East the risk
of an escalation of the crisis, in order to preserve the lives of the Syrian
people, through the commitment of all Syrian parties to immediately cease fire,
and return to the negotiating table under the auspices of the UN. The ministry
stated that Egypt is following with deep concern the repercussions of the Khan Shaykhoun
crisis. (Al Arabiya)

Iraq

07 APR: State of
Law member Firdaus al Awadi stated that the strike “will negatively affect the
progress of fighting in Iraq” and that the chemical weapons attack was the
pretext to “change the equation in the Middle East,” weakening Russia and
returning to a unipolar world. Awadi stated that the U.S. could not abandon ISIS,
which was a pretext for the U.S. to re-occupy the Middle East. Awadi stated
that the U.S. would try to restore its military presence in Iraq and work to
build permanent bases. (Almirbad)

07 APR: National
Alliance leader Ammar al Hakim expressed “deep concern” over the U.S. strikes
on a Syrian air base in Homs. Hakim called for “calm dialogue and a political
solution,” stating that “the region cannot tolerate further conflicts and
escalation, as it would only serve ISIS’s interests.” Hakim called for “a
scientific, neutral, transparent investigation into the chemical weapons attack
in Khan Shaykhoun.” (All Iraq News)

07 APR:
Kadhimiyah-based pro-Sadr cleric Ayatollah Jawad al Khalisi stated the need for
a “comprehensive resistance” in the region against “American aggression” after
the U.S. strike against the Syrian government as it “represents the beginning
of a dangerous phase,” noting that the strike occurred near the anniversary of
the “aggression against Iraq.” Khalisi denounced the strikes adding that they
would only “escalate the confrontation.” (NRTTV)

08
APR: Sadrist Trend leader Muqtada al
Sadr stated that it was fair for Syrian President Bashar al Assad to
resign to save Syria from the "scourge of war and domination by
terrorists." He called the airstrike harmful to the international
community. He "did not rule out" that the decision to strike Syria
was pretext to "expand" and warned that the U.S. is a sponsor of
terrorism. He also warned that the strike could draw the region into conflict,
as Syria has become a "crucible of abhorrent political
conflict." Sadr stated that the U.S. should instead support dialogue
if it wants to be a sponsor of peace and to be impartial to any side in
conflicts, including in the Palestinian territories, Burma, and Bahrain. Sadr
stated that "everyone knows" that U.S. military intervention was
not feasible and not useful, noting how the U.S. decision to launch strikes in
Iraq did not stop terrorism from proliferating in Iraq. Sadr called on all
actors, including the U.S. and Russia, to withdraw from Syria and allow Syrians
the right to determine their own future. (All Iraq News)

08
APR:Prime Minister Abadi received a telephone callfrom Vice President Mike Pence to
discuss Mosul operations and the security situation in the region. PM Abadi
stressed the importance of focusing on fighting ISIS. PM Abadi condemned the
use of chemical weapons and condemned "any party" that used them. He
stressed the need to form a comprehensive plan to solve the crisis in Syria and
to unite efforts to defeat ISIS. (All Iraq News)

Kurdish Factions

Kurdistan
Regional Government (KRG)

07 APR: The KRG
Council of Ministers condemned the Chemical Weapons attack in Khan Shaykhoun
and released a statement saying they
hoped the U.S. missile attack on a Syrian airfield would become a reason to end
such “crimes.” The KRG called on the international community to seriously work
to find primary solutions to the conflict in the Middle East. (NRTTV)

Kurdistan
Democratic Party (KDP)

07 APR: KDP
leader and former Iraqi finance minister, Hoshyar Zebari, stated that the U.S.
strikes on the Syrian air base in Homs is “good news.” Zebari added that “the
strikes punished those who carried out the chemical attack [in Khan Shaykhoun].” (Shafaaq)

Kurdish National
Council (KNC)

07 APR: Representative
of ENKS in Kurdistan Region of Iraq Khaled Ali stated that this event pleases
not only the Kurds, but also the whole Syrian community. (Kurdistan 24)

Democratic Union
Party (PYD)

07 APR: Co-Chair
of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) Salih Muslim stated, “We (PYD)
believe this attack has a positive effect on the situation on the ground.... We
hope [the attack] will force the actors involved to accept a political solution
grounded in reality because peace is better than war.” (Dengea)

Syrian
Democratic Forces (SDF)

07 APR: The SDF
did not release an official statement on 07 APR 17.

Regional Actors Expressing Full Support for U.S.

Saudi Arabia

07 APR: The
Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its strong support for U.S.
military operations carried out against military targets in Syria. (SPA)

Israel

07 APR: Prime
Minister Netanyahu announced his full support for President Trump's
decision to strike the Syrian regime’s base in Homs, noting that the use of chemical
weapons will not be tolerated. (MFA)

07 APR: Israel's
President Reuven Rivlin stated the U.S. serves as an example for the free
world, which “must support any step required to bring atrocities in Syria to an
end.” (Official statement)

Jordan

07 APR:
Jordanian government spokesman Mohammad Momani stated that Jordan considers the
U.S. strikes “a necessary and appropriate response to the non-stop targeting of
innocent civilians” with Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs). (CNN)

Yemen

07 APR: Internationally
recognized Yemeni President Abdu Rabbu Mansou Hadi expressed his full support
for U.S. military operations in Syria in response to the Khan Shaykhoun
chemical weapons attack. Hadi stated,
“The U.S. strike is a necessary step to prevent the use of prohibited weapons
against innocent civilians.” (Saba
News)

Bahrain

07 APR: The
Bahraini Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed support for U.S. military
operations against military targets in Syria and praised President Trump. It
called on “efforts by all to maintain a ceasefire and arrange for negotiations
that will lead to a comprehensive political settlement, on the basis of the
2012 Geneva 1 Conference.” (BNA)

UAE

07 APR: The
Emirati Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its strong support for U.S.
military operations carried out against military targets in Syria. (MOFA)

Kuwait

07
APR: The Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry expressed support for the U.S. strike in
Syria and denounced the use of chemical weapons. (KUNA)

Qatar

08 APR: The
Qatari Foreign Ministry expressed support for U.S. military operations carried
out against military targets in Syria. (All4Syria)

Free Syrian Army (FSA) in Syria

07 APR: The
Syrian FSA issued a statement welcoming the U.S. strikes against the Syrian air
base in Homs, stating that “it is step in the right direction for the
international community to assume its moral responsibility to help Syrian
civilians.” The statement added that the strikes do not hinder
counter-terrorism efforts, as “fighting the regime and sectarian militias is a
big part of the counter-terrorism effort.” Moreover, the statement claimed that
“the strikes are the first step towards a political settlement” and called on
the U.S. and its allies to adopt a “clear position.” The statement further
added that holding Assad and his accomplices accountable “can only be achieved
by applying military pressure alongside political pressure.” The statement
stressed that “military operations against the regime must continue.” (Twitter)

Salafi-Jihadist Groups

Al Qaeda

07 APR: Al Qaeda ideologue Abu
Muhammad al Maqdisi stated the U.S. strikes are "but a feather
compared to" U.S. strikes on Muslim lands. He further condemned praising
the strikes as akin to praising "a professional killer." (Twitter)

07 APR: Several pro-al
Qaeda Telegram accounts issued anti-American statements warning supporters
that the U.S. is still an enemy of Muslims. Pro-al Qaeda Telegram accounts are
also claiming that the U.S. coordinated the attack with Russia and Syria to
ensure there were minimal casualties. (SITE)

ISIS

07 APR: Failed
to make a statement on 07 APR 17.

Western Europe

EU

07 APR: European
Council President Donald Tusk welcomed the move and said the EU will "work
with the U.S. to end brutality in Syria.” (Telegraph)

UK

07 APR: A
spokesperson for the UK Prime Minister’s Office released the following
statement: "Overnight, the U.S. has taken military action against the
Syrian regime, targeting the airfield in Shayrat which was used to launch the
chemical weapons attack earlier this week. The UK Government fully
supports the U.S. action, which we believe was an appropriate response to the
barbaric chemical weapons attack launched by the Syrian regime, and is intended
to deter further attacks." (Telegraph)

08 APR: UK
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson denounced Russia’s “continued [defense]” of the
Assad Regime and expressed support for a political settlement in Syria. Johnson
cancelled a trip to Moscow planned for Monday 10 APR following the chemical
attack in Syria. (BBC)

France and Germany

07 APR: France
and Germany issued a joint statement denouncing Syrian President Assad for the
use of chemical weapons and stated they would work with the UN to hold Assad
responsible for his crimes. (Telegraph)

07 APR: All
three major French presidential candidates condemned the U.S. missile strike
and did not implicate Assad in the chemical weapons attack. (Lejdd)

07 APR:
Denmark’s Foreign Minister Ander Samuelsen stated, “I support the American
attack 100 percent. It is a response to a clear violation of all international
rules, namely the use of chemical weapons.” (The Local)

Eastern Europe

Ukraine

07 APR: Ukrainian
President Petro Poroshenko called VP Pence to express support for
U.S. actions to prevent President Assad's crimes against the Syrian people. (Twitter)

Poland

07 APR: The
Polish government supports the U.S. air strike in Syria according to a Polish
cabinet spokesman. (Reuters)

Slovenia

07 APR: The
Slovenian Foreign Ministry expressed understanding for the U.S. strike in
Syria, stating it considers the strike a “deterrent against potential new
chemical attacks.” (Sta)

Baltics

Latvia

07 APR: Latvian
Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics stated the U.S. strike in Syria was an
“adequate response” to the chemical attack in Syria. (Baltic Times)

07 APR: Swedish
foreign minister Margot Wallström released the following statement: “It is
unclear whether the missile attack last night is the new American policy. It is
important that there is also an international legal basis for action. Last
night's missile attack also raises questions about how this could be compatible
with international law. The issue must therefore return to the security
council, which must take responsibility to reach a lasting political solution.
There is already too much military power in Syria. It is high time that the
Syrian people get to decide their own future.” (The Local)

Lithuania

07 APR:
Lithuania's President Dalia Grybauskaite released the following statement:
"The whole world, except for Russia and the Assad regime (…), view this as
a war crime and a crime against humanity, therefore, a response is necessary.
The response was directly demonstrated by the United States.” (Baltic Times)

Southern Europe

Italy

07 APR: Italian Foreign
Minister Angelino Alfano released the following statement: "Italy
understands the reasons for a U.S. military action, proportionate and
well-timed, as a response to an unacceptable feeling of impunity, and as a
deterrence signal against the risk of further use of chemical weapons by
Assad." (CNN)

Spain

07 APR: The
Spanish government released a statement calling U.S. action against Assad
"a measured and proportionate response" to the regime’s use of chemical
weapons. (CNN)

Portugal

07 APR:
Portuguese Foreign Affairs Minister Augusto Santos Silva expressed
understanding for the U.S. strike in Syria, but did not implicate the Assad
Regime in the chemical weapons attack. (Portugal Resident)

Kosovo

07 APR: Kosovo's
President Hashim Thaci announced his full support of President’s Trump action
against “Assad’s murderous regime,” stating that Assad must “face justice” and
the Syrian people “must be liberated.” (Twitter)

U.S. partners outside the Middle East and Europe

Japan

07 APR: Japanese
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stated his support of the U.S. strike against the
Assad regime. (Telegraph)

07 APR: The
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, “China always opposes the use of
force in international affairs and we advocate resolving disputes peacefully
through dialogues... We always hold that the Syrian issue should be resolved
through political means.” (CNN)

08 APR: North
Korea Foreign Ministry condemned the U.S. airstrike “a clear and unforgivable
act of aggression against a sovereign state,” adding that “the reality of today
proves our decision to strengthen our military power to stand against force
with force was the right choice a million times over.” (Reuters)